A New York Times Op-Talk published Sept. 14 claims to quote remarks "last week" by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to a correspondent for the Indian newspaper, The Hindu," and the NYT uses it to criticize him over climate change.

However, the link from the NYT Op-Talk by Jack Flanagin to The Hindu article is in fact a report on Modi's meeting with Japanese students on Sept. 2 during a visit to Japan.

The Guardian made the same error calling it an "interview with The Hindu a few days earlier." Elsewhere in the Op-Talk Flanagin quotes The Guardian article, but not for this erroneous claim about Modi talking to The Hindu reporter.

Moreover, the full quote from The Hindu story hardly makes Modi an environmentl skeptic; in fact he mentioned Al Gore's book, "An Inconvenient Truth" and speaks out against "exploiting nature." Here are the relevant portions of Amit Barua's story in The Hindu (to which the NYT article linked):

On climate change, the Prime Minister said exploitation of nature was a crime. "At best, you have the right to milk nature. You can milk a cow, but you can't kill the cow."

"Climate change? Is this terminology correct? The reality is this that in our family, some people are old... They say this time the weather is colder. And, people's ability to bear cold becomes less.

"We should also ask is this climate change or have we changed. We have battled against nature. That is why we should live with nature rather than battle it," he said.

The Prime Minister commended a book written by him on climate change called "Convenient Action" while pointing out that former US Vice-President Al Gore's book was entitled "An Inconvenient Truth". The Prime Minister said his book was available online.

Here is the relevant part of NYT OP TALK:

In a Season of Deadly Rains in India, Does the New Prime Minister Believe in Climate Change?

... Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will reportedly skip the United Nations climate summit scheduled for later this month in New York City, causing many to speculate as to whether the newly elected leader harbors skepticism about the science behind climate change. Recent remarks, bafflingly self-contradictory and weirdly flippant, have not soothed these concerns.

"Climate change? Is this terminology correct?" Mr. Modi asked The Hindu's Amit Baruah last week. "The reality is that in our family, some people are old. They say this time the weather is colder. And people's ability to bear cold becomes less."

"Climate change? Is this terminology correct? The reality is this that in our family, some people are old ... They say this time the weather is colder. And, people's ability to bear cold becomes less," he said.

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